Iraq: Suicide attack kills at least 8 people

A police official says the suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a police checkpoint in the largely Shiite eastern neighbourhood of Talibiyah on Thursday, killing five civilians and three policemen.

He added that at least 20 others were wounded.

A medical official confirmed the causality figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to release information to the media.

The heavily guarded capital has been under nearly daily attacks by Sunni militants who overrun vast areas in western and northern Iraq since early this year.

The Islamic State group, an al-Qaeda breakaway group, and other Sunni militant groups have vowed to destabilise and take over Baghdad.